We’ve now been staying at Tallebudgera Creek on Queenslands Gold Coast for a week, and have booked a further two days. We’re awaiting mail from Perth, but now with so much email, paper mail seems to travel at less than snail speed. We’ve booked a further two days hoping the mail will arrive. If it doesn’t, we’ll try and arrange for the post office to forward on to a future destination.

We’ve caught up with my sister-in-law, Marie and her sister a couple of times. A couple of days ago went out for lunch with them to The Paddock, where we sat under the trees and enjoyed a lovely lunch.

Yesterday was a mixed day. It started off not so good with heavy news from England. Paul’s dad’s not doing so well again. He only seems to manage a couple of months on his own before he sinks into his illnesses. Medical tests again indicate his health, while not good, is not at a stage to be causing his current state. We can’t go over again to help pick him up at this stage, so we have to rely on the medical profession over there. Yesterday started with several emails to the health professionals. Today started the same way – whether or not we’re with dad, it’s still almost a full time job, or at least a part time job ensuring he’s getting appropriate care. I’m constantly reminded of the need that every old person needs an advocate. Without one for dad I would fear for him being left at the mercy of the UK medical system. Currently he has us looking out for him, and also Paul’s cousin, Margaret following up on several things in the UK. I don’t know what dad, or we would do without this additional help.

I know there’s always a tendency for people to judge complainants as at least being contributory when things go pear shaped. I have a tendency to judge similarly myself. Whilst I’m not pleased at the pear shape of the medical attention dad has been receiving, particularly in the case of the district nurses, it’s almost refreshing to hear our own complaints and findings being mirrored by Margaret. It’s refreshing because when so many things are going awry, not only do others tend to judge one as being contributory, but one starts to also think the same of oneself.

More worrying news yesterday in relation to the condition and consequently, possible sale of dad’s house.  Goodness knows what we’re to do if the sale falls over. I’m now wishing we’d listed it with an estate agent before leaving the UK. At least then it would already be in someones hands, and we could have kept liaising with the agent to adjust the price until it met the market price for a house in need of attention.

With a bad start to the day and despairing hearts, we headed off up to Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterlands.

Firstly to the Botanical gardens. What a pleasure. An amazing array of gardens and plants. Firstly a beautiful rain forest walk.

Then the Japanese garden with inviting paths and bridges winding between gardens and ponds.

And throughout the garden contemplative seats overlooking serene vistas with poetic verse to contemplate. My favourite, and appropriate for the day was a quote from John Muir,

‘Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their freshness into you…..
While cares will drop off like Autumn leaves.’

After our time at the botanical gardens we headed to a winery overlooking a lake where we enjoyed a shared trio of dips for lunch. Then a visit to a glow worm cave – very interesting, a walk down the main street of the town which houses some quirky little shops, and then home. We were going to add a couple of short bush walks to waterfalls, but as there were controlled burn offs happening on the mountains the tracks were closed. Next time round perhaps.

By the end of our day enjoying the fresh air and natures mountainous bounty, our cares had certainly dropped off, just like autumn leaves.